PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1536 PRINTER'S NO. 1576
No. 1156 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY FOLMER AND PILEGGI, NOVEMBER 5, 2007
SENATOR GREENLEAF, JUDICIARY, AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 20, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
2 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for
3 notice and hearing and for disposition of dependent child.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Sections 6336.1 and 6351(e)(1) of Title 42 of the
7 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
8 § 6336.1. Notice and hearing.
9 The court shall direct the county agency or juvenile
10 probation department to provide the child's foster parent,
11 preadoptive parent or relative providing care for the child with
12 timely notice of the hearing. The court shall provide the
13 child's foster parent, preadoptive parent or relative providing
14 care for the child the [opportunity] right to be heard at any
15 hearing under this chapter. Unless a foster parent, preadoptive
16 parent or relative providing care for a child has been awarded
17 legal custody pursuant to section 6357 (relating to rights and
18 duties of legal custodian), nothing in this section shall give
1 the foster parent, preadoptive parent or relative providing care
2 for the child legal standing in the matter being heard by the
3 court.
4 § 6351. Disposition of dependent child.
5 * * *
6 (e) Permanency hearings.--
7 (1) The court shall conduct a permanency hearing for the
8 purpose of determining or reviewing the permanency plan of
9 the child, the date by which the goal of permanency for the
10 child might be achieved and whether placement continues to be
11 best suited to the safety, protection and physical, mental
12 and moral welfare of the child. In any permanency hearing
13 held with respect to the child, the court shall consult with
14 the child regarding the child's permanency plan in a manner
15 appropriate to the child's age and maturity. If the court
16 does not consult personally with the child, the court shall
17 ensure that the views of the child regarding the permanency
18 plan have been ascertained to the fullest extent possible and
19 communicated to the court by the guardian ad litem under
20 section 6311 (relating to guardian ad litem for child in
21 court proceedings) or, as appropriate to the circumstances of
22 the case by the child's counsel, the court-appointed special
23 advocate or other person as designated by the court.
24 * * *
25 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. JANUARY 1, <--
26 2008, OR IMMEDIATELY, WHICHEVER IS LATER.
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